Folding car-step.



E. IIIASIBERG.

FOLDING CAR STEP.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.23. i916.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

` Mmmm.,

position for use.

il FATF@ PATENT ERIC MASTBERG, F NELSON, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.

romaine oen-STEP.

Leonesa.

Application filed August 23, 1916.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Euro MAsTBnno, a citizen of the United States, residing at Nelson, in the Province of British Columbia, Dominion of Canada, have invented certain new and useful improvements inFolding Car-Steps;v and l do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in thev art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to folding steps, such as are used in connection with railway and other cars.

One important object of the invention is to provide an improved and simplified construction of step of this character.

A second important object of the invention is to provide an improved form of bracing supports for steps of this character.

A third object of the invention is to provide an improved arrangement of strut so that both the tread and riser portions of the step may be folded flat against the perma nent step. A

A fourth important object of the invention is to provide improved means for holding the steps against collapse, 'the means being releasable to permit collapse of the steps in a simple and efiicient manner.

TWith the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparent the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of .parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and "specifically claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lixed step with the folding step attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the step expanded or'in Fig. 4 is a section on the same line but sho-wing the step locked in its folded position. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1, with the step in the first position assumed in folding. Fig. 6 is a section similaito Fig. 5 but showing the step entirely folded. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view' of the device, the strut being in position for use.

in the embodiment of the invention there is illustrated one preferred embodiment;

Specification of Letters atent.

Patented Dec. 5, 19116.

serial no. 116,542.

wherein there is indicated at 10 a permanent or fixed stepwhich may either be the bottom step of a flight of steps such as let down from the platform of a car or may be the platform :itself in cases where the latter is low and but one folding step is used. At each end of the step 10 there is provided a bracket consisting of a strap 11 secured to he top of the step. and extending around its lforward edge and back to the rear of the step, the sides of the bracket being provided with flanges 12 in the part underneath the step so that a channel is formed between these fianges 12. Extending through the forward ends of the flanges 12 are pivot bolts 13 and pivoted on these bolts 13 is a riser member 14 which is also hinged centrally to the lower face of the step 10 as indicated at 15. Hinged to the lower edge of the riser member 14 is a folding step 16 which carries at each end of its forward edge a bracket 17 through which extends a pivot bolt 18. Pivoted to the Ibolts 13 and 18 are link members 19 which are pivotally connected as at 20, the arrangement being such that the link members, when extended,

rest one on the other adjacent the pivots 20 so that they can only fold in one direction. it each end of the step 16 there is provided a guide channel 21 the outer flange of which is provided with an inwardly turned edge 22. These guide channels 21 extend from frontto rear of the ends of the step 16 and at the rear thereof extend rearwardly and upwardly as indicated at 23.

Between therear ends of the flanges 12 extend pivot bolts 24 and pivoted on these bolts are upper strut sections 25 which are provided at their lower ends with lateral extensions 26 which engage beneath the inturned edges 22 of the guide members so that the ends of the struts can not move out of the guides. Furthermore, these struts 25 are provided on their lower ends with lugs 26 which are so positioned, that when the step is in position for-use, the lugs 26 will engage the ends of the webs of the portion 23 of the guides, these portions 23 thus forming lower struct'sections and the lugs thus holding the strut sections in extended and substantially alined positions.

Beneath the folding step there is provided a housing 28 wherein slides a bolt 29 carrying on its inner end a cross bar 30 to the ends of which are pivoted links 31. These links 31 have their remaining ends com pushed backwardly and upwardly into the nectedrto levers 33 Vwhich' Vare pivoted beneath the lower or folding step as at 3l.

l Y VThe remaining ends of the levers 33 are connected as at tothe bell crank levers 36 jpivotedto Vthe extension 23 and these bell 'crank levers are provided on their upper ends'with arms 37 which lie beneath the f lower ends of the upperstrut members 25.

'e io By means of this arrangement when the bolt 291s moved outwardly these arms 37 will engage against and lift the lower ends of the in theriser, a keeper carried on the fixed step Vpassing through these slots and engaging the ends of the bolt 29 so that the steps are held in folded position by said bolt.

' 'When the steps are in extended or unfolded position and it is desired to fold theY same the first thing to berdone 1s to pull on the bolt 29 so that the upper strut members are released. At the same time the pivot joints 20 are moved to incline themembers 19 at angles to each other. The folding stepY is then moved so that the rear end is half folded position shown in Fig. 5. After ,this, the'front edge of the folding step is moved upwardly, the back edge also moving slightly upward into the position shownin Fig. 6, whereupon the keeper will protrude ythrough the slots and the bolt 29 may engage the keeper and hold the parts in locked position. There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device Vof the kind described and for the purposespecified.

It is obvious that many minor changes may be madein the form and construction of the invention without departing from the Y material principles thereof. It is not there fore desired to conne theinvention to the Y exactV form'herein shown and described but Y it -is wished to Vinclude Vall such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the' invention, what is claimed as new, is

V ll The combination with a fixed step;`of a member hinged to the forward edge of said step, a foldable step hinged to the lower end of said member, jointed links connecting the forward edges of the steps, guide members at thel'sides of the foldable step and projecting rearwardly and upwardly thereof to form strut sections, and upper strut sections pivoted to the rear of the fixed strip and having their free ends engaged by the guide members, said upper and lower strut sections being provided with coacting locking means arranged to hold the struts against collapse.

2. The combination with a fixed step; of a member hinged to the forward edge of said step, a foldable 'step hinged to the lower end of said member, jointed links connecting the lforward edges of the steps, guide members at the sides of the foldable step and projecting rearwardly and upwardly thereof to form lower strut sections, and upper strut sections pivoted to the rear of the fixed strip and having theirvfree lends engaged by the guide members, said upper and lower strut sections being provided with coacting locking means arranged to hold the struts against collapse, and a releasing device for said locking means.

3. The combination with a fixed step; of a member hinged tothe forward edge of said step, a, foldable step hinged to the lower end of said member, jointed links connecting the forward edges of the steps, guide members at the Sides of the foldable step and projecting rearwardly and upwardly thereof to form lower strut sections, upper strut seetions' pivoted to the rear of the fixed strip and having their free ends engaged by the guidemembers, and lugs on the free ends of the upper struts engageable with the upper ends of the lower strut sections to hold the struts with their sections in extended position.

4. The combination with a fixed step; of amember hinged to the forward edge of said step, a foldablestep hinged to the lower end of said member, jointed links connecting the forward edgespof the steps, guide members at the. sides of the foldable step and projecting rearwardly and upwardly thereof to form lower st rut sections, upper strut sections pivoted to the rear of the fixed strip and having their free ends engaged by the guide members, and means to move the free i ends of the upper struts simultaneously into position to disengage the lugs.

' In testimony whereof, I affix my signa` ture, in the presence of two witnesses.

ERIC MASTBERG. Witnesses:

A. T. VALLEY, J. M. ARMSTRONG.

Copiesiof this patent may Vbe obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C. Y 

